Darkness Before Dawn
by ScarredNotBroken
Summary: SEQUEL TO A SECRET KEPT. The worst has happened: Yusei is dying and the doctors can't figure out why. Now the gang must call on an old enemy for help... But will he be able to help? Will the gang find out what's going on before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1 Normalcy

Author's Notes: A new story! And since this is a sequel, I shouldn't I have to state my policy on comments right? Right. 'Cause you should already know=)

Just to clarify: In case you didn't know, both this story and A Secret Kept assume that season two never happened (for the most part; some of it is the same as you already know). Blame that on the fact that I wrote A Secret Kept before the second season of the dub ever aired (or very soon there-after... I'm not sure which ^^;).

Also, when Crow mentions that its been six months, it's been six months since the bridge has been completed (about three since the events of A Secret Kept). I don't think I really gave much of a time frame for the previous story, but if I did and it conflicts with what I say in this one, I'm sorry.

Anyway, on with the story! I don't own Yugioh 5D's, only the plot and my OCs.

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><p><strong>Chapter One - Normalcy<strong>

Yusei had fallen asleep on the couch. In the middle of the afternoon. _Again. _

Crow shook his head at the sight, a smirk on his face. Akiza had recently acquired her turbo dueling license, and, as consequence, Yusei had spent the last week working on building a runner for her. She'd had a license to drive a runner for quite some time now, but, now that she had license to duel, he was building her a new one. He had completed the shell in a little less than three days time (granted, he hadn't slept the entire time) and had obviously been working on the engine program again when he crashed, based on the open laptop sitting on the coffee table to the side of the couch.

The bird duelist gazed around him, still unable to grasp the fact that this was his home now. Even after six months he still thought he'd wake up back in Satellite at any moment to find this all a dream. Even in his wildest dreams he had never seen himself living in the Tops. But here he was: A fireplace surrounded with comfy chairs on a raised platform slightly behind him to the left; a kitchen and dining room beyond the platform; two couches and coffee table with floor-to-ceiling windows behind them straight in front of him; a pool and garden out on the patio; a staircase leading up to all of their bedrooms, a guestroom and den to his right. He shook his head. Would he ever get used to this? Crow wasn't sure he would.

Jack came down the stairs then, interrupting the other teen's thoughts. "Have a good time with your 'secret' girlfriend, Crow?" the blonde inquired.

"Yes, actually I did," he answered smugly, crossing his arms. "Just like always."

"So, do we get a name then?"

"Hmm. Nope."

"Why not?"

"'Cause I said so, that's why."

Jack huffed as he pulled on his jacket. "Fine then. I don't have time to argue. I'll be out late; don't wait up."

"Off to see Carly again, are we?" Crow asked with a smirk.

"Where _else _would I be going?" Jack responded as he closed the apartment door behind him.

Jack couldn't believe how much everything had changed in the last several months as he raced through the streets on his duel runner. Even just in terms of himself and Carly, everything was different now. When he'd first met her, Jack hadn't wanted anything to with her, but now he and the black-haired reporter-girl had been going steady for almost two months now. And then there was Crow and his girlfriend whom he refused to name until the two of them had decided how serious their relationship was. Then, of course, there was Yusei and Akiza, the couple everyone else knew was meant to be together. Though they had yet to make it official, Jack was certain it would happen before too much longer, based on the amount of time they had been spending together recently.

Jack pulled up to the door of Carly's apartment building then, and, before he could dismount his runner, the bubbly reporter rushed from the door towards him, nearly tripping in the process. "Ready?" he asked as she slipped on the helmet he handed her.

"Of course!" she nodded, climbing on behind her boyfriend. "You really have to ask?"

The blonde hit the accelerator, shooting the pair off to some unknown destination.

At the same moment the duo passed under an over-head cable-car, Akiza Izinski was staring out the window of said cable-car as it skated towards its next station, an anxious, impatient look in her eyes.

The red-head sighed. Her father had promised weeks ago to take her to find a good duel runner, but, so far, he hadn't had time. And she couldn't ride her old one; some part had given out, and Yusei said he didn't have the means to fix it and that it would cost an arm and a leg to have a repair shop fix it. That was the whole reason she was getting a new one. So here she was, stuck riding the cable-car.

After a few more impatient minutes, Akiza climbed off and started walking the five blocks from the station to the Tops. At least, she knew, she wouldn't have to take that awful thing back home again; Yusei always offered to give her a ride home. That would be the one and only thing she'd miss once she had her new runner: Riding with Yusei.

Akiza couldn't help but notice the change in him over the last few months. He was still the same Yusei she loved, still the same Yusei who had saved her from herself, but he had changed immensely as well - as had all of them, really.

He was still the same Yusei, but he was - _happier. _He was so much happier than when she'd first met him all those months ago at the Fortune Cup. And Akiza was glad for it; Yusei of all people deserved to be happy after everything he'd been through in life.

She walked into the apartment without even bothering to knock. ("You're as good as family," Kara had once told her. "You don't have to knock!") Not seeing anyone, she called out softly: "Hello? Anybody home?"

Crow stuck his head out of the kitchen. "Oh, hey, Akiza!" he greeted.

"Hey, Crow. Where's Yusei?"

The orange-haired teen chuckled. "Passed on the couch _again_. He's still working on his super-secret project... Even though it's not really secret around here anymore."

"You know what it is?" she asked, surprised.

"Yup."

"Well, what is it then?"

"Can't tell ya!"

"Why not?" Akiza crossed her arms in front of her.

"'Cause it's a secret!"

"You beat all, ya know that, Crow?" Akiza stated in frustration.

Crow laughed. "Yup! Well, I'm headed back out; packages don't deliver themselves after all! See ya later!" With that, he disappeared out the door Akiza had entered through only a moment before.

Akiza sighed, shaking her head, as she approached her sleeping friend. Lying on his stomach, his right arm under his head, Yusei looked truly peaceful. She sat down on the floor next to the sofa, content to just watch him sleep. Akiza hadn't been sitting long when the boy began to stir. Almost begrudgingly it seemed, he slowly opened his deep sapphire eyes.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Yusei sat up. "Akiza... When did you get here? You could have woken me up, ya know."

"I haven't been here long. I didn't want to disturb you... You're more than welcome to go back to sleep."

"What time is it?" he asked, attempting to stifle a yawn.

"Almost four. Why?"

He shook his head. "I definitely need to get up then, or I'll never be able to sleep tonight."

Akiza smirked. "You won't anyway; you'll be up working on this project of yours."

A ghost of a smile graced Yusei's lips. "Normally you'd probably be right, but I'm just about done with it, so that means no more late nights."

"Really? I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me what it is then?"

The raven-haired youth was silent for a moment as he thought her question over. Finally he nodded once. "Seeing as how it's for you and that it's almost done, I don't see why not." As he stood, he beckoned Akiza to follow. "It's in the spare bedroom; Mom agreed to let me work in there as long as I promised not to destroy the place."

"It's something for _me_?" Akiza asked in astonishment.

"Yep." Her friend's smile widened. "And I think you'll really like it, too." Yusei opened the door, flicking on the lights as he entered. There, in the center of the room, was a deep rose-colored duel runner, much like her old one, though with a few stylistic changes.

Akiza gasped, her amber eyes flying wide. "Y - you built me a new duel runner?" she asked in disbelief.

Yusei chuckled lightly. "Yup! That's why your dad procrastinated taking you to pick one out."

"He knew about this?"

"It was partially his idea, to be honest..."

"Yusei... This - this is amazing!" she spoke as she stroked the carefully planned, detailed panels.

"It's not quite done yet, but all that's left is the engine program and a few test runs to get all the bugs out. You should be able to have it in a few days."

The next thing the black-haired mechanic knew, Akiza had flung her arms around his neck in an embrace. "_Thank you!_"

He returned the embrace, murmuring, "It's nothing, really..."

After a moment, Yusei pulled away. "I'd better get that program installed then, huh?" She nodded once as he left to retrieve his laptop. Returning a moment later, he pulled up a chair for Akiza and a stool for his computer, while he himself plopped down on the floor. Another moment later he had attached his computer and was typing away, an attentive frown creasing his brow.

Minutes turned to hours as his fingers continued to fly over the keyboard making minor adjustments to the program as needed. They only stopped working when Kara forced her son to stop long enough to eat something, and then those fingers flew back into motion. Akiza knew he was probably only vaguely aware when Crow returned from work and when Jack returned earlier than expected saying something about Carly and probable food poisoning.

Finally Yusei relaxed, letting a smile grace his face. "There; that should be about all. I'll give her a test run tomorrow and get any bugs worked out. Then she'll be all yours, Akiza."

"I don't know how to thank you, Yusei."

He shrugged. "No need. I enjoyed doing it. I'd better get you home now though; you're parents will be wondering where you are before long." She nodded and both rose form where they were sitting.

But something didn't feel right to Yusei as he stood. Something - he wasn't sure what - just felt off to him.

Akiza gazed at her friend in a worried, curious way as he began to sway on his feet. "Yusei? Are you okay?" When his only answer was to continue staring off into space, more worry crept into her voice. "Yusei?"

The red-head's voice seemed a mile away to the head signer's ears. What was going on? Why was this happening so suddenly? He'd felt just fine a moment ago! But now... He wasn't sure _what _was going on!

Then, as suddenly as the feeling had come, it was gone again. 'That was strange,' he thought. 'Maybe this lack of sleep is starting to catch up with me...' To Akiza he said, "Sorry... Uh, what were you saying?"

"Are you okay?" she repeated, concern evident in her tone.

"Yeah, just fine," he lied, brushing what had happened aside. "C'mon; I'd better get you home."

"Right."

But the head signer was anything but fine. As he took a step towards the door, darkness engulfed his sight. The last thing he knew was Akiza screaming out his name as he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

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><p>Author's Notes: Well? What do you think of the first chapter? Once again, I'm giving free, tasty internet cookies for reviews=) (Plus reviews=new chapters!)<p> 


	2. Chapter 2 State of Emergency

Author's Notes: WOW you guys are fantastic! I honestly didn't expect to get so many reviews on the first chapter so thanks for the awesome surprise!=D And because you guys are so awesome, here is the next chapter!

Enjoy! (Mwahahaha! Expect the unexpected! Hehe... Just like in the show, characters don't go away!)

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><p><strong>Chapter Two - State of Emergency<strong>

Kara couldn't stop pacing; Akiza couldn't sit still; Crow sat on the edge of his chair, worry written in ever feature; Jack was simply leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of him. The four had been in the ER of New Domino Central Hospital for almost two hours now, waiting for any kind of news of why Yusei had collapsed so suddenly without any kind of warning. Worry had continued to mount with every passing moment until it had become palpable.

_Kara, Crow, and Jack had heard Akiza's screams and had rushed into the room to find Yusei out cold on the carpeted floor, barely breathing, heart barely beating. They had tried for several moments to wake him but to no avail. That was when Kara called an ambulance._

So there they all were, two hours later, still waiting for a verdict.

"Mrs. Fudo?" The doctor's soft voice cut like a knife through the think silence.

Kara spun around to face the middle-aged doctor, eyes wide with fear. Crow and Akiza both stood from their chairs, and Jack pushed himself away from the wall. "Yes? Do you have news of my son?"

"If we may speak privately..."

"We're just as much family," Jack pointed out, crossing his arms again, "as we were the first time you met us, Dr. Yamamotto."

Kara nodded. "Whatever you have to say can be said with them present."

Dr. Yamamotto nodded then sighed. "I'm afraid it's pretty bad. His vital systems - respiratory, circulatory, and nervous - are slowly shutting down. But it's worse than that: We have spent the last hour trying to find out why but with no success; we could find no reason for this to be happening. Unfortunately that also means we have no way to _stop _what's happening; we can't treat something we can't diagnose. It's nothing any doctor here has ever encountered before.

"But that doesn't mean we're giving up. I'll be getting in touch with hospitals in Delhi, Paris, Cairo, London, New York, San Fransisco, and Sao Paulo to see if anyone has ever seen anything like this before. If there's a way to treat this, we'll find it, I can promise you that."

Everyone was stunned to silence. How? how could this be happening now?

"He's been through so much," Crow murmured. "More than any of the rest of us. You think maybe his body's just giving out from all the stress over the years?"

"Perhaps," the doctor sighed. "I don't know."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," a nurse spoke as she approached, "but you're needed for a moment, Doctor."

"Excuse me," he spoke. "I'll return shortly."

For the time he was gone, no one moved; no one breathed; it seemed as if the whole world was holding its breath. Ten minutes ticked slowly by... Then fifteen, twenty, twenty-five... Thirty minutes later, Dr. Yamamotto finally returned, an even more troubled look on his face than before.

"I apologize for that taking so long, but there were some - _complications_... regarding your son, Mrs. Fudo."

Kara's eyes widened. "What kind of complications?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Well..." He paused for a moment, picking his words carefully. "He's conscious now but in a great deal of pain. We're doing everything we can to ease it, but I'm afraid even morphine isn't helping him much. ...That's what took so long: Myself and a few other doctors were trying to find a way to ease the pain. We'll keep trying to find something, but, at the moment, we're doing all we can, and he's calmed down now at least."

"May we see him?" Kara asked in a strained whisper, holding back the tears that threatened to over-spill her chocolate-brown eyes.

He hesitated. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Mrs. Fudo..."

"_He's my son!_" she whispered. "I have only recently been reunited with him, and I think I have the right, regardless!"

"I only say that because of the severity of the situation," he elaborated.

"He is _dying,_doctor! And if you won't take me to him, then I will find my son myself!" By now Kara could not hold back her tears.

Dr. Yamamotto scratched him head, sighing. "I suppose it couldn't hurt for a minute. Follow me."

A moment later the crew found themselves standing outside a room in the ICU. Through the windows, they could see him lying motionless except for the steady rise and fall of his chest, eyes clenched shut as if the act would help lesson the pain.

As the doctor opened the door to allow them in, Yusei opened his eyes - those unnaturally pain-filled, sapphire eyes. As he saw them enter, the head signer weakly reached out a hand towards them. "Mom," he whispered weakly. "Akiza... Jack... Crow..."

Kara rushed forward and gently grasped his out-stretched hand. She had been determined to not cry in front of him, but when she saw him wince at her touch, she couldn't stop a tear from seeping from the corner of her eye.

When Yusei spoke again, his voice wavered from the intensity of the pain. "Please," he whispered. "Please, just make it stop!" His steady breaths turned labored and shallow in an instant, his scared, pain-filled eyes falling closed again.

It was all Jack and Crow could do to keep themselves from strangling the doctor at this point for the amount of pain their friend was in, but they knew there was nothing else he could do.

As Yusei cried out in pain, Dr. Yamamotto herded the group back into the hallway, at the same moment calling another doctor to try to help Yusei.

"Isn't there _anything _you can do?" Akiza begged. "_Anything at all?_"

He sighed. "The only option we have left would be to place him in a medically induced coma. It's definitely not normal procedure, but that's the only way he won't have to feel any pain. I was actually going to ask you about that, Mrs. Fudo; I just need your consent to do so."

"I'll consent," she answered almost without hesitation, "if it's the only way to end his suffering."

"I wish it wasn't, but we've tried everything else."

"I understand. So I'll consent to it. It's only best at this point..." Her voice trailed off as a sob replaced her ability to speak. Akiza wrapped her arms around the sobbing woman, trying - and failing - to calm her down. Not that Akiza blamed her; she herself felt like bursting into tears.

Dr. Yamamotto led them all back out to a waiting area near the ICU before leaving to start the process.

As Akiza and Kara sat to one side of the small room trying their hardest not to cry too much, Jack and Crow sat across the room thinking to themselves, questioning how this could happen.

Then a thought dawned on Jack's mind.

"Crow," the blonde spoke quietly, breaking into the other teen's thoughts. "You don't think that this is somehow _Kynomi's _doing, do you?"

Crow stared at Jack with a startled look that quickly turned to bemusement. "I don't see how. He's in jail, and his plan failed."

"But that's just it: What if it hadn't completely failed like we all thought?"

Crow gazed at this friend, confused. "What are you getting at, Jack?"

"I hope this isn't the case but... You know as well as I do what those nanobots of his were capable of, remember? They would slowly and _painfully _shut down a person's vital organs."

"Yeah, I remember. But I also remember that Yusei destroyed them all."

"What if he hadn't though? What if a few of them got into him, and the ones already in his system were only damaged, and, because they were damaged, they are just now taking a toll on him?"

"Whoa, wait, wait, wait! What do you mean 'the ones already in his system?' That's not possible!"

"Actually, it is. When I got to him that night, Kynomi already had a needle in Yusei's arm - a syringe with those nanobots in it. So it _is _possible a few of them got into his system before I knocked Kynomi away from him."

"Oh man," Crow muttered, burying his head in his hands. "That's not cool..."

"Ya know, maybe it's time I paid Kynomi a little visit."

"You really think maybe there's a way to stop this? He told us over and over again that there wasn't..."

Jack sighed. "I'm sure hoping there is. After all the times we've almost lost him..." the blonde sighed. "I'll be back later."

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><p>Author's Notes: So you think Jack has it figured out? or is something else causing Yusei's pain? Stay tuned to find out! (Lol)<p>

Reviews=Happy writer=Motivation=Faster chapters... Reviews?


	3. Chapter 3 The Visit

Author's Notes: Another chapter! Already! Haha... Only so quick 'cause you guys are amazing!=)

Uhm... Sorry for the one random curse word thrown in... I think Jack is justified, however...

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Three - The Visit<strong>

"Well, if it isn't the infamous Jack Atlas," Giovanni Kynomi stated sarcastically as the blonde approached him where he sat at a table in the visiting area of the Facility. "I hate to disappoint you, but I don't have any evil plans for you to foil at the moment."

"I want answers, Kynomi!" Jack got right to the point, slamming his hands against the table top. "Those nanobots you created... There has to be away to stop them once they have infected a person."

Kynomi raised an eyebrow in surprise. "There is not, and I'm not sure why you care. I thought my nephew found a way to destroy all of my hard work."

The blonde hesitated, fidgeting uncomfortably. "We thought so too but... It appears Yusei was somehow infected with them anyway. Now if you know anything, _please _tell me!"

"You just don't get it, do you, kid?" he asked with a smirk. "I've already told you that there isn't a way to reverse the damage. Once it's done, it's done, and death is certain."

Jack's eyes widened. "So you mean to tell me that Yusei is most certainly in the hospital right now because of _you?_"

The older chuckled. "He most certainly is! You see, before you so rudely knocked me away from him that night, I had managed to inject a few into his system. It just wasn't enough to cause immediate damage like I had wanted. But I did figure this would happen eventually! I've just been waiting for when - until now."

"Damn it, man! Don't you have any heart at all?" Jack practically shouted. "Yusei's your _nephew, _for Yami's sake! Doesn't _family _mean _anything _to you?"

"Wouldn't matter now if it did," Kynomi responded. "He would still die regardless. I planned it that way from the very beginning; I wanted to be sure family would die so obviously I would make sure it wasn't possible for the affected person to be saved. He will _die, _Jack Atlas, and there's nothing you or I or anyone else can _possibly _do to change that.

"This conversation is finished." Kynomi rose from his chair and started for the door.

"Now wait just a minute!" Jack yelled after him. "I'm not done talking to you yet!"

Kynomi raised a hand in dismissal as he continued to walk away. "Be that as it may, _I _am finished talking to _you. _Goodbye, Jack Atlas!"

Jack was left staring, angry and dumb-founded, as Kynomi retreated through the door with a guard to escort him back to his cell. 'So much for that...' the blonde thought miserably as he, too, headed for the door.

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><p>"So that's it then," Crow murmured. "It's over; there's nothing we can do."<p>

Akiza wiped a wet streak from her cheek, but it was quickly replaced as tears continued to rain from her eyes. She'd thought she had no more tears to cry when Jack had returned with the horrid news. Now, once again, she couldn't keep the torrent under control. "No," she whispered in denial though she knew what he said was true. "There has to be a way!"

Suddenly Kara slammed her hands down onto the armrests of her chair and stood up, taking them all by surprise. As she started from the waiting room, she stated, "I refuse to sit here and let my son die; I think it's time I visited my brother myself."

The other three were stunned to silence by her sudden actions and resolute words. Jack was the first to find his voice as she reached the door: "But what good is that going to do? He's intent on Yusei's death so even if there is a way to stop it - which I highly doubt - then he's not going to tell you."

Kara hesitated. "Maybe so. But I'm hoping I can reason with him..."

"Reason with Kynomi?" Crow asked incredulously. "Is it even _possible _to reason with a mad-man?"

"Never know 'til you try."

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><p>"So you're the sister our parents loved more than me. Let me guess: You want to know how to stop your son from dying, just like that Jack Atlas. Am I right, Kara?" Giovanni asked agitatedly.<p>

"Yes," she responded simply from where she sat across the table in the visiting area. "Please, my brother..."

"I'll tell you what I told him: There is no way to stop it. Now get that through your head, and stop bothering me about it!" He stood up to leave.

"Please!" Kara begged. "I know it wasn't right of our parents to abandon you, Giovanni, but your hatred is for _them _and _their _actions! I and my son - we had no part in it; all of this happened _before_ our time! So why are you taking out your anger and rage against them on us? If you allow him to die like this, you are no better than our parents!"

Giovanni stopped in his tracks, his shoulders sagging and head bowing as if a great weight had suddenly been deposited there. He sighed heavily. "I'm only going to say this once, Kara, so listen carefully."

Kara started in surprise; all malice had disappeared from her brother's voice.

"Do you know what that boy of yours did for me, Sister? After all I did to him... When he was released from the hospital, do you know where he went first? He came here to see me. _To forgive me! _I hadn't asked for it or even wanted it, but he _forgave _me for everything I had done to him. His father - your husband - was a great man; after seeing Yusei forgive me - just as Hiero would have done, I would take back all the pain I put him through if the act were possible.

"So believe me when I say now that if there was a way to stop this then I would tell you - _but there just isn't!_"

"Is there no hope then?" Kara whispered, her eyes misting over once again.

"There is _always _hope, Kara, however small it may be," he responded. "That boy of yours found a way to destroy those nanobots. Who knows; maybe he'll find a way to fight them this time, as well."

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><p>Author's Notes: I know; it's short; I'm sorry.<p>

And yes, I did switch which name (first or last) that I used for Yusei's uncle... It's based on who he's talking with - Jack calls him by his last name, so I used that one when referring to him at the beginning; likewise, Kara uses his first name (because he's her brother) so I use that one at the end.

Oh, and just an FYI: This is the last *ahem* _normal _chapter of this story... Just a warning that I have a very crazy imagination sometimes and the remainder of the story comes from the crazy. It's a little bit different... but in a good way don't worry!

Anyway, reviews=happy writer=higher motivation=faster updates. =) S'il vous plait et merci!


	4. Chapter 4 Already Over

Author's Notes: I feel like I need to explain something here... Time between this chapter and last is a little funky, I found, when I was writing this chapter... If you didn't think so, feel free to skip this part... Anyway... Yusei spent a LOT of time working on Akiza's runner in chapter one. They then waited in the ER for a couple of hours before they heard anything. Then they got interrupted. And I don't specify how many hours Jack and Crow sat thinking in chapter two before Jack got the idea that Kynomi could be behind Yusei's illness. Therefore, yes, it could well be mid-morning before Kara returns, if, say, Yusei didn't pass out (ch1) until, oh, let's say, 11pm. 2 hours in the ER + time to get there and the half hour interruption would be like, oh, 3 hours, putting it at 2 or 2:30am before they decide to place him in a medically induced coma. Several hours of thinking on Jack and Crow's part (during which Yusei is being put under plus they wouldn't be allowed back in to see him until morning anyway) would place Jack's visit to Kynomi in the early hours of the morning, say 6 or 7am. Plus traveling time back and traveling time for Kara to go see Kynomi. Her visit and traveling back... all of this equals mid-morning, say, around 9 or 10am.

Okay I'm done now. Enjoy=)

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><p><strong>Chapter Four - Already Over<strong>

"I can't believe this," Akiza whispered. "I can't believe that this is already over."

"I can't either," Crow muttered darkly. "That fink... He knew the whole time what was gonna happen..."

Several hours had past since Kara had departed to visit her brother. It was now mid-morning, but the sun shining in brightly through the windows of Yusei's hospital room hardly served to lift anyone's mood. The stark white walls only added to the sense of dread and to serve as an ever-present reminder of how hopeless the situation had become - a reminder of how quickly everything could turn upside-down. Everything in the room seemed to point to the head signer, deathly pale, lying motionless, dozens of machines and tubes and wires attached to his lifeless form; everything from the angle at which the cheerless sun shown in through the windows to the angle of the door from the bed seemed to say "Look! Look while you can because he soon will be gone!"

"It's just not right!" Crow snarled. "Kynomi had no right to do this!" The bird duelist shook his head and sighed. "I guess getting angry now isn't gonna help Yus' any but... It's just _not right!_"

"No... No, it's not," replied Kara. She sighed heavily.

Crow sighed as well. "Me? I'm satisfied with my own little delivery business. Jack? He's headed back to the pro leagues. But Yusei? Yusei was gonna do what all of us kids only _dreamed _about back in Satellite; he was gonna go to _college!_ Me and Jack - we were never really interested in school much, but Yusei... He took every class Satellite's school could offer... Well, not _all _of them maybe but everything math and science related; he even taught himself _calculus_ 'cause no one in Satellite could teach it, for Yami's sake! He had all of us convinced from the start that someday he'd find a way to go to college in the City. And he was finally gonna get to, but then _this _had to happen..."

No one knew what to say to that. It was all true after all. Yusei had even taken a test to get a GED already because it was required to get into New Domino University; he passed with flying colors the first time he took it and was soon excepted into NDU into the engineering department for the next school year.

"So what are we going to do now?" Jack asked dismally after several moments of silence.

Kara shook her head sadly. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean. After all, the only thing we can do is hope that he will somehow be able to fight this... alone."

"No," Akiza spoke resolutely. "Yusei is _never _alone! He always has us beside him!"

Kara shook her head again. "I'm afraid it doesn't quite work like that this time. There's nothing we can do to help him fight a battle that is _inside _him, Akiza. Believe me, I wish we could do something too..."

"You're wrong," Akiza stated adamantly. "We will always be bonded together thanks to the power of the Crimson Dragon. Not one of us are ever alone."

"Be that as it may," Kara sighed, "I'm not sure how that's going to help."

"Akiza is right," Jack stated. The others stared at him in disbelief; did _Jack Atlas_ actually agree with someone else? "Well, she is!" he countered their stares. "Crow, you know it is, too! Our bonds have gotten us through plenty! Not to mention it was the Crimson Dragon that enabled Yusei to destroy those nanobots in the first place, remember? It all happened in the span of a few seconds, sure, but no one can say that it wasn't the Crimson Dragon's power - all of our marks reacted and joined to together on him." Jack paused. "Maybe something like that will happen this time too."

Crow sighed. "We can only hope..."

Akiza, who had been seated directly to the right of Yusei's bed for this entire time, reached out and grasped the raven-haired man's hand. 'Please, Yusei,' she thought, closing her amber eyes and squeezing his hand. 'Please fight through this! _I love you! _You can't give up now!' She opened her eyes again -

- and found herself no longer in a hospital room. "What the - " she started. Around her were black, stone walls, the passage she was standing in lit only by a torch here and there mounted on the wall. She looked behind her to see -

"Yusei!"

Her friend had been peering around a corner, but, at the sound of her shocked voice, had whipped around to face her, sapphire eyes wide with fear. "Not so loud!" he whispered urgently. "Do you want _them _to find us?"

"'_Them_?' Who is 'them?'" she questioned in a whisper this time.

Without answering her question, Yusei asked one of his own. "What are you even doing here, Akiza?"

"I don't know. I don't even know where _here _is!"

Yusei sighed. "Join the club. But we can talk later; we need to find some place safe first so, right now, we need to move... before _they _find us!"

Akiza blinked and suddenly Yusei and the black corridor were gone. She blinked again to find that her eyes must have been closed, for when she opened them, Akiza found herself back in the hospital room. Kara, Jack, and Crow were all standing over her with worried expressions. She lifted her head from the bed. "What the - " she muttered. "That was weird..." To the others, she asked, "What just happened exactly?"

"We're not really sure," Crow stated haltingly. "You grabbed Yusei's hand... Both of your marks lit up like a Christmas tree... Your head hit the bed, unconscious."

"But... I was just... with... Yusei..."

Crow and Jack stared at the red-head incredulously.

"I'm telling the truth!" she insisted. "I was there - _somewhere _- with him! We were talking face-to-face! He was scared of something and was running from it, but he didn't have a chance to explain..."

"Yeah, right..." Crow stated, crossing his arms. "You must have really hit your head hard on something..."

"Now wait just a second," Kara interrupted. Everyone turned towards her.

"You're not saying you _believe _her, are you?" Jack asked in surprise.

"After everything all of you have been through, I can't believe that you two _don't _believe her! And you, Jack! Not two minutes ago you yourself were commenting on how your bonds through the Crimson Dragon have pulled you through many times! Maybe this is the work of the Dragon, too! Besides, if she _is _telling the truth, then we just gained some hope back in this situation!

_"This may just be the miracle we've been hoping for!"_

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><p>Author's Notes: What in the world is going on? ! ? *MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!* That's for me to know and you to find out! *Evil smile*<p>

Reviews=Happy Writer=Motivation=Faster Updates. You guys always make my day=))))


	5. Chapter 5 Fight Inside

Author's Notes: I'm back with another chapter! Anyone miss my almost-two-week absence? Heh-heh... Sorry about that. I couldn't figure out a good way to start this chapter (you have ElodieKumari94 to thank for this! Without her, you _still _wouldn't have a chapter!).

Mwahahahaha...*Evil Smile* Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Five - Fight Inside<strong>

"Wait, _what?" _Dr. Yamamotto interrupted, raising his eyebrows disapprovingly, crossing his arms in front of him.

"I know it's hard to believe," Crow responded. "It took Akiza quite a while to convince us too, but we _have _seen stranger things after all, Doc..."

"So you honestly want me to believe," the doctor reiterated, "that thanks to some power from some dragon, Akiza was somehow with Yusei in some - _alternate universe, _and in this alternate universe, he is running from something? And that she _might _be able to help him somehow?"

Akiza sighed from where she sat, staring at her hands folded in her lap. "Yes."

"That's the biggest load of _hooey _I've ever heard."

"Our best friend is _dying _right now," Jack inserted quietly. "What reason would we have to make something like that up at a time like this?"

Tears began to well up in the magenta-haired signer's eyes. "Even if we had," she whispered, "what would you have to lose by letting me try? _You _have _nothing _to lose, Doctor, but _we _have _everything _to gain."

Dr. Yamamotto was silent for a long moment, considering his options. Hope was pretty much non-existent at this point for Yusei to pull through on his own. He had spoken to doctors around the globe, and none of them had any idea what was going on either. In short, he longer had _any _options at all.

Except the one they had just given him.

He sighed. "I don't know about this. Suppose I believe you; suppose I actually think this could work. It could be risky... If he's fighting for his life, couldn't Akiza potentially lose her life as well?"

The young woman stood, staring with steady determination, her eyes meeting his. "He shouldn't have to fight alone - even if he _is _fighting _within _himself. So that's a chance I'm willing to take."

"I still don't know," the doctor sighed again. "Mrs. Fudo? What's your take on this?"

"We have discussed it together already. We left if up to Akiza whether she wanted to do this or not," Kara replied. "It's not my decision. Although, I _do _think this will work, Doctor. I've seen enough miracles in my life to know that most of them come as _opportunities _just waiting to be taken; this is an _opportunity _for a miracle, but we have to be smart enough to _make _it happen."

"Alright, then," Dr. Yamamotto replied hesitantly. "I guess it's settled. I'll have a bed wheeled in for Akiza. Oh, and she'll have to be monitored as closely as he; that way if it seems like something is going wrong, we'll know before it's too late and can pull her out."

Akiza nodded. "Fair enough. But tell me, Doctor: Why the sudden change of heart? Only a moment ago you were completely against this and didn't believe a word of it."

"Truth be known, this is the only option we have left," he replied. "I'm willing to try _anything _at this point." Without another word, he turned and left the room.

"I sure hope this works," Crow muttered as he sat down.

"It will," Jack spoke confidently though quietly. "It _has _to."

)*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*(

**One Hour Later.**

"Alright," Dr. Yamamotto announced. "Everything is ready to go."

A second bed - which had been moved into the hospital room - was situated directly to Yusei's right. Various other monitors had been brought in as well, all hooked up now to the magenta-haired signer who was sitting on the second bed. Akiza took a deep breath, let it out, and laid down on her back on the bed. As she glanced around at the others, they nodded or smiled back in reassurance.

"Okay," she breathed. "Here goes everything!"

With a slightly shaking hand, she reached over and grasped Yusei's hand tightly in her own. Upon contact, a red glow lit the room, shining out from both Yusei and Akiza's Marks. The magenta-haired signer's amber eyes fell closed once more, and the glow faded to a faint shimmer against the skin of both signers' arms.

Akiza opened her eyes to find herself back in a black-walled, dimly lit passageway. Just in front of her, stealthily peering around a corner, was Yusei. She whispered his name to get his attention, to let him know she had returned to - _wherever _this place was.

He spun around, a startled and still fearful look in his eyes. As she stepped towards him, he held a finger to his lips - an indication not to speak. Yusei peered around the corner again before motioning her to follow.

"Yusei," she spoke in a whisper barely audible even to her own ears. "What's going on? What are you running from?"

As if in answer to her question, a shill shriek resounded through the corridor from behind them. Akiza had _never _seen her raven-haired so afraid as he was in that moment. If it were possible, that fear intensified in the next moment as the same shrill shriek echoed around them, _originating from the passage in front of them! _

Yusei started to run. At first Akiza didn't understand why, as it appeared they were running straight for what they had been running from, but, at she followed, she discovered another corridor branching off from the one they were in. They were half way down this second passage when Akiza looked back and finally saw what it was that Yusei was so terrified of.

Running behind them were two creatures Akiza could have never created even in her deepest, darkest nightmares. Two suits of black armor covered most of what she pictured to be hideous bodies - though not all of it. The arms and legs reminded her vaguely of the God of the Netherworld, but the feet and hands more resembled that of a dragon's. The fingers were merely talons (that could obviously still grip a sword based on the fact that both carried one), and the toes were no more than long, curved, thick claws. Akiza was exceptionally grateful that helmets with full visors covered their faces; she shuddered to think about what their faces must look like.

'What in the _world are _those things?' she thought as she continued to follow Yusei. '_Demons' _came easily to mind.

They turned another corner - only to find themselves at a _dead-end._

"Oh... Yami..." Yusei panted. "This... is not... good..."

The two pursuers came up behind them, slowing to a halt as they let out another ear-deafening shriek. Yusei and Akiza spun to face them as one chuckled with a dry, gravely tone: "Well, well, well! What do we have here? Two little mice, trapped, with no where to go! Looks like we'll get to have some fun after all!"

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><p>Author's Notes: Mwahahaha! *Evil smile* Don't you just looooove cliff-hangers? Hehehe;) Now things start to get - <em>interesting! <em>

As always, Reviews= Happy Writer= Motivation= Faster Chapters=)


	6. Chapter 6 Warrior's Soul

Author's Notes: Wow. I am so, so, so, soooooo sorry I haven't updated in so long! (Please don't kill me... ^^; I've been busy...)

So, without further ado, *munch-munch* enjoy some Rold Gold Peppermint Dipped snowflake pretzels *munch-munch* along with this chapter^_^

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><p><strong>Chapter Six - Warrior's Soul<strong>

Yusei stepped in front of Akiza, taking a protective stance.

The creatures closed in on them, chuckling darkly. "There's nowhere for you to run!"

Yusei pressed backwards, keeping Akiza behind him. If he was going down now, he'd protect her as long as he could. His hand pressed against cold stone; he could go no further back.

The creatures pounced.

Yusei closed his eyes, waiting for the end to come.

But it never came.

He opened his eyes again to a passage that was empty except for himself and Akiza. "What... just... happened?" he asked haltingly. As if in answer, shrieks sounded from the other side of the wall.

"Uhm, moving walls?" Akiza guessed uncertainly.

"Well, I'm definitely not sticking around to find out!" Yusei stated, shaking his head. "Let's find somewhere to hide for a while so we can figure this out."

Akiza nodded once and followed him as he started down the passage. They hadn't gone more than a few yards before Yusei halted suddenly, his eyes focused to one spot on the wall. He took a step towards the wall, placing his hand against one of the stones. As Akiza watched, she first wondered what he was doing; then she noticed that the stone under his palm had an intricate design upon it.

He pressed his palm against it, forcing the stone into the wall. They both watched in awe as part of the wall slid back to reveal a sparsely furnished room. There were two chairs next to a lit fireplace at one end; at the other stood a long table with a candelabra in the center and a small cedar chest underneath. As they stepped inside, the door slid back into place, concealing their hiding place.

"How did you know this was here?" Akiza asked still in awe. "And why couldn't we have just disappeared into a hidden room _before _we almost died?"

Yusei shook his head. "I didn't know it was here; it was just a guess after the whole moving-wall thing a moment ago. I suppose there might be other concealed rooms, but I didn't know there were any at all. At least we know what to look for now."

Akiza nodded and sat down in one of the chairs with her companion close behind. "So where exactly are we?"

"I don't know," the raven-haired youth answered. "I was hoping you might be able to tell me. How'd you even get here anyway? And before... When you just kind of appeared and disappeared...?"

Akiza quickly summarized what she knew: How he was really in a coma; Jack's conversation with Yusei's uncle; how she got to wherever this place was.

Yusei's frown deepened as she went on. "So," he surmised after she had finished, "we're in my head then or something?"

"Or something." She shook her head. "It looks like I don't really know any more than you do."

The two sat in silence for a moment before Yusei's eyes grew wide. "I think I might understand what's going on, though it seems a little crazy."

"What's new about that?" Akiza asked.

He chuckled. "I suppose." A pause.

"Well? What do you think is going on?" the magenta-haired signer prompted.

"Well," he sighed, staring down at his hands clasped in his lap. "I'm still trying to completely piece it together myself, to be honest, but... If we're inside my head, then it stands to reason that those demons - since that's what I'm fighting against here - would really be those nanobots my body is fighting against... Right?"

"Makes as much sense as anything else, I guess. Except for one thing: How is any of this possible? You're supposed to be lying comatose right now... Even if this is in your head, you should still be unconscious, shouldn't you be?"

His brow furrowed. "Well... I don't really understand that either, but, I suppose that even though my physical body is weak, maybe my mind - _my soul _- is still strong, and that's how I'm supposed to fight this." He paused. "Maybe... Maybe that's why I'm on this quest..." he finished, mumbling to himself.

"'Quest?'" Akiza questioned. "What do you mean by that?"

He looked up startled. "Huh? Oh... Uhm... Before I found myself here, I spoke with my dad again. He told me I needed to find three items and take them through a door somewhere in this place. And he told me to avoid those demons at all costs; they won't hesitate to kill me. Only after I completely this task will I be safe."

"Have you found any of them yet?"

He shook his head. "No, I haven't had any luck with it. The only hints he was able to give me are that one item is in a tower, and the other two are in a room somewhere. I have no idea where either place is."

"This may be a long shot, Yusei," Akiza spoke, looking over her shoulder at the chest under the table at the other end of the room. "But do you think they could be in here?"

He turned to follow her gaze. When he saw the trunk, his sapphire eyes widened slightly. "Perhaps..." He rose from his chair and strode slowly in the direction of the table and cedar chest, Akiza following closely behind. Kneeling beside it, he placed his hands below the lip and pressed upwards on it. To both signers' relief, it lifted up easily. Yusei let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

But he quickly gasped it back in as he beheld the chest's contents. Inside lay three items: A sword in its sheath, an oval-shaped shield, and a rolled-up piece of parchment. Yusei removed the parchment first, curious as to what it contained. Careful unrolling revealed -

"A map?" Akiza asked. "Well, that will certainly be helpful."

Yusei nodded once. "Definitely. It has this room marked as well as two other places: The location of the third item and the door, I suppose." He rolled the map back up and handed it to Akiza. He then removed the sword and shield. The sword didn't appear to be anything special; it looked like one used during the early Crusades. As he lifted out the shield, its silver surface caught the flickering light of the fire across the room causing them both to gasp.

Etched into the surface of the shield in extremely minute detail was Stardust Dragon. Every detail was perfect, an exact replica of how the majestic dragon appeared as it was summoned. But even more baffling and awe-inspiring was the inscription found around the edge of the shield:

_"Let the stars rain down from the heavens; I will always protect you; all you have to do is call my name."_

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><p>Author's Notes: So, uhm, was that confusing at all? the way I explained what's going on? the whole this-is-that thing? If it doesn't, please let me know so I can come up with a better way to explain it because it's kind of important; if you don't understand it, parts for the rest of the story aren't going to make as much sense.<p>

Anyway, Reviews=Happy Writer=Motivation=Faster Chapters^_^ (Well, when I'm not busy *sigh* -.-)


	7. Chapter 7 Shadows

Author's Notes: Merry CHRISTmas, everybody! Haha, this chapter just in time (even though it has nothing to do with Christmas^^;). My biggest apologies for this taking so long, but let's just say that school gets in the way of writing... *sigh* But I'm on break until January 4th (super short in my oppinion) so I'll have at least a little more time until then. I'm really hoping to finish this one (at least have it all written if not all posted) by the New Year because I have so many projects to write! The next one you might be familiar with and is another sequel: Defeat!

Also, sorry for any spelling errors... I'm not the best speller in the world, and my current word processor doesn't have spell check.

Anyway, enough on that, you've waited more than enough time for this! Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven - Shadows<strong>

Yusei peered around a corner, pulling back quickly. A demon waited, blocking the spiral staricase the two were headed for, pacing in front of the opening. Akiza gave him a worried look, knowing why he had pulled back.

"Your sword?" she mouthed. "Do you think...?"

He looked down, placing his right hand on the hilt. "I don't know," he mouthed back, concealing his nervousness. It could work, but if it didn't, he would be history. He took a deep breath, drawing it out as slowly and quietly as possible. Motioning for Akiza to stay put, he summoned all of his courage and dashed around the corner.

A moment passed before she heard a strangled shriek. Darting after her friend, she stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she had rounded the corner.

Yusei stood with his back to her, a strange black dust billowing around him, slowly disappearing.

"Yusei," she spoke in a low, but excited, voice. "It worked!"

He let out a sigh of relief as he turned towards her and nodded. "C'mon; we'd better get that thrid item before anymore get here."

Akiza nodded in response and followed him up the winding staircase into the tower. Both were out of breath when they came upon a door at the top of the staircase.

"Oh, that's just great," Yusei panted.

"Maybe it's not locked?" Akiza suggested in an airy tone.

Yusei pushed on the door - and groaned when he ramed his shoulder into it as he tried to turn the knob only to have it refuse to move. "Great... Just great! Where in the world are we supposed to get a key?"

"Even if we found one, it wouldn't do much good; there's no actually lock," Akiza stated, examining the door, as Yusei rubbed his now-sore shoulder. He turned away, frustrated. "Wait... there's an inscription here, beneath the knob..." He turned back to face her as Akiza bent down to get a closer look in the dim light. "It says:

'I never was, am always to be  
>No one ever saw me, nor ever will<br>And yet I am the confidence of all  
>To live and breathe on this terrestrial ball.'<p>

"What do you suppose _that _means?"

Yusei furrowed his brow. "It almost sounds like a riddle of some kind."

"Okay. Well, I hope you're good at riddles, 'cause I'm sure not..."

He stared off into space for several moments, deep in thought, before sighing and placing a hand to his head, eyes closing. "I feel like I should know this, Akiza, but somehow I don't!" he whispered exasperatedly. "Just like I don't know where exactly I am or what's going on! All I know is what I see around me! ..." He was starting to shake slightly. "I just want to wake up from this nightmare, but I know that I won't! And I know I won't live to see tomorrow if I don't figure out this riddle!"

_Click. _

Yusei's eyes flew open, and both he and Akiza stared wide-eyed in stunned silence at the door. The magent-haired signer reached out a tentative hand, turned the knob, and slowly pushed the door open.

Yusei gasped, eyes growing even wider. _"That's it!"_

Akiza turned to him in confusion. "What's 'it'?"

_"Tomorrow!"_

"Huh?

"That's the answer to the riddle! _Tomorrow!"_

She tilted her head and gave him a quizical look.

Before he could explain, a sudden shriek from the corridor below reminded them that time was running short.

"Crap!" Yusei muttered. "So much for getting out of here _before _they had a chance to trap us!" Yusei darted forward into the room, grabbing Akiza's wrist and pulling her in with him.

The room inside was somehow much brighter than the stairway though there were no windows and no torches lining the walls. Rather, the light came from the only piece of furniture there: a table positioned in the center of the room. Sitting on the circular table was what they had come for.

Yusei stepped up to the table and picked up the bow and quiver of arrows. He turned to Akiza. "Here," he spoke. "Now you'll have a way to protect yourself, too." She took if from him and swung the quiver over her shoulder as he continued. "If we hurry, we might be able to make it back down in time."

They had only descended a few steps before Yusei knew they had been trapped. He could hear the shrieks growing louder and knew that the demons were on the stairs. "Akiza." He paused on the steps. "Get ready to fight."

Before she had a chance to register what he had said, a hulking, black form appeared in front of them. Yusei took it out with a quick slash of his sword, but there were more looming behind the first. The demons pulled their own weapons out - swords, maces, battle axes.

And then they charged.

As Yusei took out two more, his words finally registered in Akiza's mind. She knocked an arrow and fired it into the air above Yusei's head. In a matter of minutes, the small army was down to just a few - but both teens knew more would come, alerted by the calls of their fallen brothers.

And they both also knew they wouldn't be able to take out another force. Granted, there had only been about thirty of them this time, but Yusei was starting to tire, and who knew how many there would be next time.

Yusei continued down the steps ahead of Akiza. But, as he neared the last demon, his foot slipped on the edge of a step. His sword flew from his grasp, sliding further down the stairs. A demon stood directly above him, sword raised to strike.

But he never got the opportunity. An arrow, tipped in silver with fleching of the same splendor, pierced the black armor and continued into the creature. With one last screech, the demon disintegrated into a fine black powder, just like those before him.

Akiza hurried down the few steps that separated her from Yusei. She smiled as she held out her hand to help him up. "I've got your back!"

He nodded as he took her hand. "I owe you one."

"Naw, I'd saw we're pretty even! C'mon!"

Yusei couldn't help but smile as he descended the steps, picked up his sword, and continued down, out of the stairway, and back into the corridor. He turned to Akiza. "We'd better hurry. Which way?"

She pulled out the map and unrolled it. "That way," she spoke, nodding to the left. "We don't turn until we can't so straight any further."

He nodded and started down the corridor. "We'll have to be careful; they could come through any other passage and catch us unaware..."

They came to the end of the passage and turned a few minutes later.

"Yusei," Akiza spoke barely above a whisper. "This doesn't feel right to me. It's too quiet."

He nodded. "I know what you mean. There's hardly been a moment where I haven't been running away from those things. But now... Not even hearing their shrieks echo off the walls..." He paused for a moment, sighed, then, changing the subject, he added, "So what are we looking for next?"

She glanced down at the map. "A staircase, I think, off to the right. If we have to turn again, we've missed it."

Another moment later they found themselves staring down a pitch-black stairway. Yusei gulped. "Are you sure we have to go down there?" He had come to fear the dark shadows that could so easily hide those black-garbed demons. If he couldn't see what was ahead, he didn't want anything to do with the passage; he didn't know what lay in wait for him in those deep shadows.

She nodded hesitantly. "I'm afraid so. Maybe the passage below will be lighter?"

"I hope so," he stated, swallowing harshly.

But Akiza was wrong. As they reached the bottom, the passage was still completely black. She groped around in the dark with her right had until she found his left hand and gripped it firmly. "So what do we do now?" she whispered.

"I don't know," he murmured. "Continue forward, I guess..."

Even as he spoke, a distant light began to burn.

"What in the world - !"

Three thin lines of light now shone brightly, distictly, piercing the darkness though not dispelling it in the slightest. The light burned, showing through the way light would shine out through the cracks around a door - above, below, and to one side; two horizontal, one vertical conecting the other two.

"That must me the door we're headed for," Akiza whispered. Yusei could only nod. He took a step forward, gently pulling her along behind him.

At the first step, their eyes shot wide as a shriek resounded through wide-open space. The first shriek was then answered by a hundred - _a thousand _- other calls.

He was frozen; he couldn't move, couldn't breath. _If only they could just make it to the door! _

"Run!" he called out as he let go of her hand and sprinted forward.

Akiza stumbled forward as they raced toward the light - the one beacon of hope and life that existed in this place - as it began to pulse brighter, as if beconing them to it. Just when she thought they would make it, everything came crashing down - literally. She tripped in the darkness and went sprawling to the ground. "Yusei!" she shrieked.

He spun around. Without thinking twice, he sprinted back towards her as she began to pick herself up off the ground. As he reached Akiza and pulled her to her feet, the light from the door was disturbed as hulking, black figures placed themselves between the two teens and their escape.

"There's no way out _this _time!" one uttered. And he was right; they were completely surrounded! "Now we'll finish our job!"

Yusei pulled out his sword. "Just try us!" he shouted in a voice that sounded far more confident then he actually felt. The two moved to stand back-to-back as Akiza knocked an arrow in her bow.

Before either quite knew what was happening, they had been thrust into a battle for their lives. Akiza knocked arrow after arrow, firing them into the swarm of demons before her; Yusei slashed anything that came within range.

But there never seemed to be any less of them. _'Will they ever stop coming?' _Yusei wondered.

"YUSEI!" he suddenly heard Akiza scream. Wheeling around, he saw her being held captive by one of the many demons.

"AKIZA!" he called out, running towards her. He had only gone a few feet before his path was blocked. Slashing through those demons, he quickly found is path blocked by more of them. She started to scream again, this time from a distance even further from Yusei, but it was cut off suddenly. Yusei's eyes widened in horror. "AKIZA!" he screamed again. No response. He continued to battle against the demons though he could feel his strength waning fast. But he couldn't just give up now; he had to save her!

His sword was knocked out of his hand, skittering a few feet out of his reach. _'No... This can't be happening!'_ He fell to his knees, breathing hard, no longer having the strength to stand. "Akiza!" he whispered.

Cruel laughter echoed off the walls around him. Then, in a whisper as loud as a scream, in a scream as poignant as a whisper, a voice spoke.

"YOU HAVE FAILED!"

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><p>Author's Notes: Nothin' like a good cliff-hanger, eh? Mwahahahahaha *evil smile* ...And, yes, that second-to-last line is supposed to be a little bit cryptic... You're not supposed to be able to decide if the words are being whispered or screamed at Yusei.<p>

As for the riddle? That really is a riddle I found on the Internet. If you don't understand how 'tomorrow' is the answer, leave a review, and I'll repsond^^

Actually, a review would be nice anyway^^

Again, Merry CHRISTmas everybody!


	8. Chapter 8 The Darkness

Author's Notes: Yet another update! Yay! I'll be keepin' 'em comin', don't worry! ^_^

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight - The Darkness<strong>

Kara, Jack, and Crow silently watched as the blips on Yusei's heart moniter steadily grew weaker and weaker.

"All right," Jack spoke, shattering the silence, as he stood and went to Yusei's side opposite Akiza. "I can't take this waiting any longer!"

"Wha - J-Jack!" Kara stuttered. "What are you going to do?"

"If Akiza can help him and get to where he is, then why can't we? If it's a signer thing - which it would seem to be since their marks reacted - then we should be able to help too, right?"

Crow nodded. "Theoretically, yes..."

"Then why should I sit here, waiting for something to happen, when I could be helping him fight too?"

A smile kept upon Crow's face as he stood and pulled two chairs over to where Jack stood. "Then let's do this thing!" Both sat on the edge of a chair. "On the count of three then. One..."

"Two..."

"Three!" Both boys grabbed his hand and closed their eyes.

Opening them again, violet meeting grey, they stared in shock as a soft blipping filled their ears.

"It... It didn't work..." Crow muttered. _"Why?"_

Jack sat back in defeat, releasing Yusei's hand. It didn't work... He didn't understand. It should have worked. _So why didn't it?_

"Maybe," Kara inserted. "Maybe your not _supposed _to be there. Maybe you're just not meant to help him fight this time..."

"Don't tell me this is all for naught!" Crow whispered bitterly. "Don't tell me you're resigned to the fact that he's gonna die!"

She shook her head. "I never said that, Crow. If all was lost, Akiza wouldn't have been allowed to join him either. There's still hope. I just mean that maybe there's a _reason _you're not being allowed to join them."

"And what would _that _be?"

"I don't know, Crow." Kara shook her head again. "But for whatever reason, Akiza is the only one allowed to enter. Since he was the only one who could save her before, maybe she's the only one who can save him now."

* * *

><p>Akiza pried her eyes open. "Oh, my head!" she groaned. She tired to bring up her hand to her head to inspect the damage but stopped when she heard the harsh scraping of metal against stone. In the dim light of the torches, she suddenly noticed that both her hands and her feet had been shackled to the wall. She looked around her as she sat up. Three torches perched high on the black stone walls, a solid door with no handle on the inside, no windows.<p>

She gasped, her eyes widening. _Yusei! _Where was he? Her eyes desparately darted around the small room, hoping in vain that somehow she'd simply missed his presence the first time.

Then, as if in answer, the door slowly creaked open. A single demon entered. "Oh, goody," it spoke in a deep, gravely tone. "She's concious. Just in time." It turned and motioned with a single, long, black finger. Three more demons entered, one having the nerve to carry the three items, the other two with a certain black-haired signer in tow.

When Akiza saw him, she gasped in horror. He was pale, his face and bare arms covered in cuts and bruises. When the guards released his arms, he fell to his knees on the floor, unable to stand.

The first guard approached her and knelt down. "How does it feel," it whispered in her ear, "to watch the one you love suffer?" Chuckling, he nodded to the two guards on either side of Yusei.

They both chuckled too, as they reached out a hand and placed it on Yusei's shoulder.

Akiza could see her friend tense under those two goulish hands. 'He must already know what's coming,' she thought as tears threatened her eyes. 'What are they going to do to him? What have they already done...?'

Without any warning, he fell forward, his arms clutching his sides, screaming and writhing in pain. If lasted for several moments before he stopped; he didn't move after but continued to lie in the same spot, shaking, his eyes pressed closed.

Akiza couldn't stop the tears from starting. "Stop! Please, stop!" she whispered desparately.

"What's that you say?" the deamon taunted. "You want to see _more?_ That can easily be arranged!" He nodded again to the two demons.

"No!" she screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Stop! Please, stop!"

The demons only laughed at her misery. The two nearest Yusei each pointed a cruel black finger at him. An orb of black light began to form at the tip. A second later, it turned into a stream that shot straight into Yusei's body causing him to cry out in agony once again.

"Please, stop it!" Akiza begged. _"Please!"_

Even as she pleaded with them, more of the same black orbs were forming on the other finger tips on both of the same two demons' hands. Another second later eighteen more streams of black electricity were shooting into Yusei's body. His screams grew louder and louder until his voice started to crack, but they still would not relent, and Akiza could not tear her gaze away.

As soon as she saw him slump to the ground, face down, breathing hard as the demons finally let up, she looked away.

Light from the torches gleamed across a brilliant surface in the corner of Akiza's eye. She turned her head towards it only to see that the three objects held by the last demon that had entered was the cause of the reflection.

'A lot of good those do us now,' she thought bitterly.

_"Let the stars rain down from the heavens," _a male voice whispered in her head. _"I will always protect you..."_

She gasped, eyes widening, as she remembered the inscription on the shield. "All you have to do is call my name..." she whispered.

"What did you say, girlie?" the demon breathed. "You want _more _you say? Heh-heh-heh!" He motioned to his demons once again.

"Stardust Dragon, save us!" she whispered, looking to Yusei. "Save us, please!"

A familiar roar rang out at her plea, filling the room, followed by a blinding white light. Akiza closed her eyes, unable to bear the brilliant light, the horrid shrieks of the demons joining and mixing with the familiar dragon call.

Silence.

The light behind her eyelids faded back to just that of the wall torches.

Expecting to find just herself and Yusei, Akiza opened her eyes and looked around. To her suprise, a smaller verision of Stardust Dragon stood beside her. She gasped. The dragon's head turned towards where Yusei still lay, Akiza's gaze following him. Her fetters having been broken, she rushed to her friend's side. She gently turned him over and pulled his limp form into her lap.

His dazed blue eyes opened weakly. "We don't... have... much time..." He coughed, a small dribble of blood rolling out of the corner of his mouth.

She brushed his bangs out of his eyes with her hand before looking up to Stardust. Knowing what she was thinking, he nodded. She turned back to Yusei. "Can you stand?"

He coughed again. "I don't know... Maybe..."

Akiza pulled his arm around her shoulders and stood up. Supporting the bulk of his weight, she helped him over to Stardust, who had crouched down to allow them to get on. After he was situated on the dragon's back, Akiza turned to where the fourth guard had once stood. Taking two steps, she picked up the sword, shield, and bow with its quiver. She turned again and quickly mounted Stardust behind Yusei.

With a roar, Stardust Dragon shattered the wall separating them from the corridor, creating enough space for him to take flight from the small room. He had only just taken to the air when more demons, alerted of trouble by both demon and dragon call, converged on the spot.

Akiza was afraid - but only for a moment.

In less than a second, all of them had been disitegrated by Stardust's call.

_"Servants of the darkness," _Akiza heard a male voice speak in her head, _"cannot stand up to those of us who serve the light!"_

"Stardust?" she whispered. He nodded before pumping his wings once and shooting them down the corridor. They quickly rounded corners and flew through corridors; before Akiza knew it, they were flying down the dark staircase. "Stardust, there are too many of them down here!" Her eyes grew wide.

Laughter filled her head. _"Not for me, there isn't! Just hold on tight!" _As they flew into the open space at the bottom, she tightened her grip around Yusei's middle with one arm, the other tightening around Stardust's neck. The demons' shrieks filled the air around her only to be met with the call of the dragon. In a matter of moments, every demon in the courtyard (for Akiza could now see without all the demons present that was what the space was) had been disistegrated.

Stardust landed next to the oaken door, and Akiza slid off. Gently, she lowered Yusei to the ground; his eyes were closed once again.

"Yusei?" she whispered, stroking his bangs out of his face.

He weakly opened his eyes, a dull, dead grey replacing the normally vibrant sapphire-blue.

"A-Akiza," he stuttered, breathing hard. He started coughing again, more blood trickling from his mouth. "I c-can't... go on m-much... longer. I-I..." More coughing, more blood. "Y-you'll have to... g-go on without m-me..."


	9. Chapter 9 When A Star Goes Out

Author's Notes: I couldn't wait any longer to post the next chapter! ...But I'm sure you all will want to kill me before the end so I'm not sure why I wanted to post this so badly... Just keep in mind: There are two more chapters after this one still! Now then, keeping that thought in mind, feel free to proceed^^

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine - When A Star Goes Out<strong>

"I don't know how much longer he's going to last," Dr. Yamamoto sighed heavily. "He's taken a sudden turn for the worse."

Kara, Jack, and Crow didn't need him to tell them of Yusei's failing condition, however; they could see his labored, uneven, shallow breaths for themselves; they could see his sporatic, weak-but-rapid pulse as it made unnatural, jagged lines on the moniter. The three didn't need him to tell them how close Yusei was to death. They were already painfully aware of the fact.

"I could have him put on a ventilator to control his breathing, but I'm not sure how much that would really help," the doctor continued. "I have the feeling it would just be delaying the inevitable at this point..."

"Is there no hope then?" Crow dared to whisper. "Is there no hope left at all for him to pull through?"

Dr. Yamamoto sighed again. "Your only hope right now is Akiza. But even then... I think we should just go ahead and wake her up. I honestly don't think there's anything even she can do at this point."

"No," Kara whispered defiantly. "Her life is not at risk - at least not yet. So what's the harm of leaving her there, where she could still save him?"

"It's giving you all false hope," he stated gently.

"Better to have false hope than no hope at all!"

The doctor shook his head. "Having false hope until his heart stops - "

"His heart _isn't _going to stop!" Jack spat through clenched teeth. "Yusei has got too much life left in him for that to happen!"

The doctor sighed in defeat. "All right. Have it your way. I obviously can't change your minds. We'll leave her under until he's gone."

"You make that sound so _definite, _doctor," Jack stated. "But, as I've already said, Yusei _isn't _going to _die!"_

"You just keep telling yourself that, Jack," he sighed.

"I will, thank you, because it's true."

"I don't think you fully understand his condition - "

"_I _don't think you fully understand _Yusei!" _Jack cut in angrily. "Even if he fades away tonight, he will _never _die! He will live on in each of the lives he has impacted for forever! That's something his uncle never understood either: You can destroy a person's physical body, _but you can __**never **__destroy their soul!"_

* * *

><p>"Y-you'll have to... g-go on without m-me..." Yusei stuttered. He rolled onto his side as he started coughing again, blood starting to pool as it came out of his mouth.<p>

She shook her head, tears in her eyes, as she cradled his head in her lap. "I can't, Yusei! I can't leave you!"

He took a rasping breath. "Y-you have to... A-Akiza... Y-you're the... only one... who c-can s-save m-me... now..." He forced another painful, rasping breath. "B-but you have... to g-go... now! ... Or i-it'll b-be t-too late!"

She brushed his bangs out of his eyes as he started coughing once again, more blood beginning to pool.

"H-hurry," he breathed, eyes closing. "Y-you h-have... t-to h-hurry..."

Summoning the last of her courage, she took off her magenta over-coat and bundled it up under his head as a pillow. Bending over, she kissed his forehead. "I love you, Yusei," she half sobbed, half whispered. "So don't die on me, okay?" As she stood up, Akiza could have sworn she'd seen a light smile grace his lips. She forced herself then to turn away from the one she loved, to turn to the door that would hopefully save his life.

She pulled on the handle to open the door and was instantly blinded by the pure white light that engulfed her. For a moment, she forgot all else as warmth and security flooded her senses. So this was what her friend had tucked away inside of himself! Amidst the maze of passages and corridors, riddles on doors, hidden secrets he would never let anyone in on, and the dark shadows of his pain, here was who he truly was! Here was his sincerity and his ambition! His determination, his courage, his never-ending compassion! His patience, his intellect, his tenacity, his persistance! Here was his peace and his hope, his kindness and his loyalty! His trust, his wishes and dreams, his ability to forgive!

Here was his love!

* * *

><p>Everyone's attention was suddenly drawn to the heart moniter tracking Yusei's pulse, four sets of eyes suddenly growing wide in suprise and shock.<p>

"No..." Kara whispered.

"It... It can't be!" Jack exclaimed.

"No..." Crow echoed in awe.

* * *

><p>The light faded, and Akiza found herself in an empty, hexagonal room, the door behind her. All the walls were glistening white as if they had just received a fresh coat of paint, but there was nothing in the room. She stood for a moment, confused as to what she was supposed to do now.<p>

But then a voice greeted her. "Akiza Izinski," the deep voice echoed around the room.

"Y-yes?" she stuttered in response, turning this way and that, trying to find the source of the voice.

"You shouldn't be here." She gasped in fear. "Not alone - not without Yusei - anyway."

"H-he's too weak now. He couldn't make it!"

The voice chuckled. "Do you even know where you are right now?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly..."

The voice chuckled again. "You should count yourself lucky, Akiza. You will be the only person in his life he will ever allow to access the deepest and most secret part of his soul."

"What?" she gasped.

"When you first opened the door and stepped inside, did you not feel it? Did you not feel the very pieces that make him who he is?"

"I did," she responded still in awe, "but I didn't realize..."

The voice chuckled again. "Yes, very lucky indeed..."

All was silent for a moment before Akiza spoke, changing the subject. "So, I'm here. What am I supposed to do now?"

The voice sighed. "I'm afraid you can't do anything. Not without Yusei here."

"What?" she squeeked in horror, her eyes doubling in size. "No! It can't be!"

The voice sighed again. "I'm afraid it's true... I'm afraid he knew he wasn't going to make it. But the reason he wanted to hurry back here, the reason he urged you to come through the door though he knew you couldn't save him alone... He wanted you to know who he really was. He didn't want to die without letting you know every part of him. He loved you too much to let that happen."

Akiza couldn't hold back the tears that threatened her eyes. "No! There has to be a way!"

"Even now," the voice continued, "I fear he is already gone from the world..."

She didn't wait to hear any more. As quickly as she could, she turned and darted towards the door. As she pushed it open again, she finally realized the hard truth of the matter. He hadn't smiled to reassure her that he would still be there and that she could save him. He smiled because he knew he wouldn't be when she returned.

As she knelt by his side, she already knew it was too late; she could no longer hear his rasping breaths as he struggled to hold on to life. Grasping for any bit of hope, she reached over and clutched his hand tightly in hers only to find that it was already as cold as the stone on which she sat.

"No!" she cried, resting her head on his shoulder. "Yusei, no! Don't leave me, Yusei! Come back!" But inside she knew he could no longer hear her words. He was gone.

And there was nothing she could do to change that.


	10. Chapter 10 Victim Sanctuary

Author's Notes: Consider this an New Year's present^^ Happy New Year's! Oh, by the way, thanks to everyone who reviewed, and, obviously no one killed me for the last chaper. Believe me, I appreciate it! A special thanks to Happy Festus and Kyuubecky: Your reviews always make me laugh=)

Ooo, one more thing! This chapter goes back and forth a LOT. Bare with me. Truse me, you have to hear both sides close to together for it to make sense. Okay, I'm done now. Enjoy^^

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><p><strong>Chapter Ten - Victim Sanctuary<strong>

"I'm so sorry," Dr. Yamamoto whispered truning to Kara, Jack, and Crow. "I really am."

"Like hell you are!" Crow spat venomously. "You never thought he had a chance at all!"

"If you're so sorry," Jack added bitterly, "then try to bring him back!"

The doctor sighed. "You know I can't do that, Jack; I've already explained this once: His body is far too weak so it would never work. I'm sorry. I really am."

"It's not your fault," Kara whispered. "You did everything you could to save him..."

"I suppose we should wake Akiza up then," he muttered more to himself than anyone else. "There's no point now..." As he approached her, however, he observed something that made him think twice. "It's strange though" - the others looked up at him - "both of their marks are sill glowing..."

* * *

><p>"Please don't leave me, Yusei!" Akiza begged, her face buried in her friend's shoulder as she continued to sob. "You can't leave me! <em>I love you!" <em> She couldn't believe he was gone - no, she _wouldn't _believe he was gone! Any second now she would wake up from this horrid nightmare, and there Yusei would be, wrapping his strong arms around her and drying her tears. He would be alive and well, telling her it was just dream, and why was she here? She fell asleep watching him work on her new runner. Any second now she would wake up and everything would be alright again.

...Wouldn't it?

Somehow - as much as she wanted to deny it - this felt too real to be a dream. She could feel his cold body beneath her, his life long gone, and the cold stone beneath them both. She could feel her own salty tears as they stung her cheeks on their way to soaking into Yusei's shirt. She could smell blood and sweat mixed together from their struggles. No; this could be no dream. It was completely real.

And Yusei was truely gone.

* * *

><p>Jack and Crow stood and moved closer to Akiza and Yusei.<p>

"What in the world," Jack muttered.

"That is strange," Crow commented.

"I can understand Akiza's," Jack continued, "but why is Yusei's still glowing?"

* * *

><p>Akiza sat up, drying her tears with the hand not grasping Yusei's. He was gone, but she still could not find it in her to release his hand. She couldn't help but feel as if she had failed him. She had been brought here to help him, but she couldn't pull through for him; she couldn't pull through for him like he had pulled through for her so many times. Tears began to well up in her eyes once more.<p>

_"Do not cry," _a voice spoke in her head. _"For all is not lost..."_

She looked up to Stardust Dragon. "How? how can you say that when he's gone?"

He sighed. _"All is not lost because a part of his soul lives on still!"_

"What?" she gasped. "How is that possible?"

_"It may seem that he is gone," _Stardust spoke, _"but he is still alive! His breath may be no more, but he is not yet dead!"_

* * *

><p>Jack gasped and grabbed his arm as his mark began to burn. "What the - !"<p>

Crow stepped back in shock as his lit up as well. "...Is this a good thing?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"I... I don't know," Jack answered as he stared down at Yusei. "It's strange but... it's almost like Yusei is still here... I know he's not, but I can still feel him as if he were..."

* * *

><p>"I don't understand!" Akiza exlaimed.<p>

_"All of you are connected by your bonds through the Crimson Dragon," _he replied. _"As such, each of you possess a bit of each others' souls; each of the Signer Dragons also possess a piece. And I - I will protect my master's soul!"_

Her eyes grew wide. They all possessed pieces of each others' souls? Was that how they could feel each others' emtions through their marks? "What? How?" she questioned again.

He took flight, at the same time calling out his dragon call, the words forming inside her head:

_**"Victim Sanctuary!"**_

She gasped. His special ability in a duel? Yusei had used it countless times: He could sacrifice his dragon in order to stop the effect of another card and destroy that card. 'But... How? how can that work now?'

_"I will sacrifice myself to stop the effect of the demons against my master! I will sacrifice myself and destroy the monsters that stand against him!"_

With a final roar, Stardust shattered into a million silver shards. The shards began to rain down, all converging upon the lost signer, each one penetrating his body but leaving no mark.

But nothing happened. There were no remaining pieces left to penetrate his still form, and yet there he lay, unmoving and unbreathing.

_It didn't work. _ Akiza felt like bursting into tears once agian. False hope. That was all Stardust's promise had been. Yet she continued to stare at the still, cold form of her friend, willing something - _anything - _to happen.

As Akiza brought his head back onto her lap, something small and shiny caught her attention. Right next to where his head had just been lay what appeared to be a single long, silver piece of glass. She stared at it for a moment before carefully picking it up. To her suprise, it wasn't cold, like everything else around her, but warm, as if it somehow held life within it.

Without warning, it slipped through her fingers, the point sinking into the back of Yusei's neck right above his left shoulder.

But it didn't dissolve like the rest had. It slowly sank in, and, as it sank, a silver circle appeared around where the shard had entered. Even after the shard had disappeared, the glowing circle remained, though after a few seconds, it too faded.

But unlike the others, if left its mark: What remained imbedded in his skin was a star. From every tip and ever crevice protruded a hook of sorts.* Akiza felt herself gasp at its simple splendor - and then gasp again as she tore her gaze away from the mark.

She hadn't noticed before - as she was too cuaght up with the mark - that her hand had been growing warmer. But it hadn't been that she had noticed this now that had suddenly drawn her attention away. She could have sworn she'd felt his finger twitch.

_And then his hand grasped hers._

* * *

><p>The doctor was stunned. Yusei's heart had stopped almost ten minutes ago. <em>This just wasn't medically possible!<em>

Jack just smirked. He'd known it all along!

Crow stared in disbelief as his mark stopped glowing.

"Well," Kara whispered with tears in her eyes. "I guess you have your answer!"

* * *

><p>For several moments, everything was silent as Akiza watched the slow rise and fall gradually return to Yusei's chest. She still couldn't believe it. Only moments ago he'd been still, cold, and lifeless.<p>

She brushed his bangs out of his eyes with the back of her hand. "Yusei?" she whispered. He didn't respond at all. She bent her head so her mouth was close to his ear. "I love you, Yusei! Please, please wake up..." she whispered. Rising up slightly, she gently kissed his cheek. As she sat up straight again, she felt him gently squeeze her hand.

And then he slowly opened his eyes.


	11. Chapter 11 The Dawn

Author's Notes: HEY LOOK, EVERYONE! I FINALLY GOT PAST MY WRITER'S BLOCK TO BRING YOU THIS FINAL CHAPTER! Enjoy^^

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven - The Dawn<strong>

_Beep... Beep... Beep_

Akiza gave a low moan as she blinked her eyes open. She was back in the hospital again! Never had she thought she would be so happy to wake up to see the stark white of a hospital room. But, this time , it meant Yusei was going to be all right! As she slowly sat up and swung her legs off the side of the bed to the floor, four figures approached her.

"Akiza?" Kara was the first to speak. "What in the world happened?"

She gave them a blank look. "Yeah, I guess I should explain, huh?"

The doctor nodded. "Especially since his heart stopped for ten minutes. This is one story I've _got _to hear!"

* * *

><p><em>Yusei stared up at Akiza, sapphire eyes gazing intently up into her hazel ones. He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek in it. "I love you too, Akiza," he whispered. But this time it was different; this time his voice held no pain, no urgency, no fear of death. It was strong as it had always been, as she had always remembered it to be. Akiza couldn't help but smile, tears of joy pricking her eyes, as she helped him sit up.<em>

_"You knew," she whispered. His smile twisted into a confused look. "You knew I couldn't save you. So why did you send me through the door anyway?" While she already knew the answer, she still wanted to hear it from him._

_He chuckled slightly, both of his hands cupping her face now. "Because I love you." He gently kissed her lips. "That part of me I let you see... That part of me is reserved for the love of me life - and her only."_

_Akiza gasped slightly. "Me?"_

_"You!" He stood up, at the same time talking her hands and pulling her to her feet as well. "C'mon. Let's go home!"_

* * *

><p>Yusei stirred on his bed but didn't wake. Akiza sat down beside him, talking his hand in hers. He had turned his head to the side, black hair shifting off of his neck.<p>

Akiza gave a small gasp. That mark... It was still there. It truly was part of him now, an ever-present reminder of what had happened. She gently traced a finger over the simple star*. Such a beautiful reminder that he was alive again.

Crow caught sight of the mark as she moved her finger away. "What in the world?" Jack and Kara followed his gaze, looks of surpprise dawning on their faces as well.

"I suppose," Akiza explained, never taking her eyes from it, "you could call it a 'rebirth' mark... It appeared after Stardust sacrificed himself for Yusei..."

He stirred again, eyes pressing tightly closed for a moment as if struggling to open them. But, again, he didn't wake.

Kara sat down on the opposite side of the bed from Akiza, taking his other hand in hers. "When will he wake?" she asked softly.

"That's hard to say..." The doctor fidgeted uncomfortably under the four stares he was suddenly subject to. "Don't misunderstand," he continued, "he will wake; I just don't know when, is all. While his body is functioning normally again, he is still incredibly weak. It could be hours, or it could be days. We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

Kara nodded. "I see." Relief flooded her system - and for good reason. She had thought her son to be lost as a baby oh-so-many years ago when the Reactor had gone haywire, only to discover a few years after the incident that he was, indeed, still alive. And then she'd almost lost him again, only months ago, at the hand of a brother she had never known. Now, less than an hour ago, she had almost lost him yet again. This was certainly one cycle she hoped wouldn't continue. Ever again. For the rest of her life - or his.

* * *

><p><em>Ten O'clock in the Morning, Five Days Later<em>

She was starting to worry - they all were, the doctor included - when Yusei had yet to wake or even stir again. Everything seemed to be fine - his breathing was even and deep, his pulse steady and strong - so why hadn't he opened his eyes yet? Kara continued her worried pacing across the room, back and forth, door to window, thoughts spinning merilessly around inside her head.

Jack sat in a chair in one corner of the room next to the windows, a rather out of place look of distress written on his face. Crow sat on the wide window sill, knees pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them, a forlorn look in his grey eyes as he stared out the window. Akiza had abandoned her chair by Yusei's bed and was now lying on her side next to him, one arm draped over his middle, the other one behind her head. None of them had slept in days, and it was starting to show in their haggard appearances and slowly growing shorter tempers.

Kara stopped by where Crow was sitting in the window and stared out at the skyline. 'Such a beautiful, horrid city,' she though bitterly. 'Constantly destroying and rebuilding...'

Her thoughts were interrupted and she spun around on her heel as Crow's gaze snapped from the window. Jack's violet eyes flew just a little wider, and Akiza sat up.

Yusei had begun to stir again. For the first time in five days, he had stirred, a slight moan escaping his lips.

Kara rushed back to his side, taking his hand at the same moment Akiza took his other. Crow and Jack stiffly rose from where they had been seated for so long and moved to the end of his bed.

"We're here," Kara whispered, stroking her son's hair. "Please wake up..."

He shifted again, flexing his fingers in the women's grasp.

And then slowly he opened his eyes.

* * *

><p><em>One Week Later<em>

"So? How do you like it?"

Akiza pulled off her riding helmet. She had just returned from testing out her new runner. "Yusei, it's wonderful!" She jumped off and threw her arms around his neck.

He chuckled lightly as he returned the embrace. "I'm glad!"

Just as they pulled away, Crow's runner came into sight, followed closely by a second runner neither Akiza nor Yusei was familiar with. As the pair of bikes stopped in front of them, Crow pulled off his helmet, the biggest smile Yusei had ever seen plastered to his face. The person who had stopped next to the Blackbird also removed a helmet, revealing long, blonde locks of hair.

"Hey, Yusei!" the former greeted. "I'm going out with Sherry tonight. Let Kara know, okay?"

Yusei nodded, raising an eyebrow. So _this _was Crow's mystery girlfriend!

Crow slipped his helmet back on and waved as he drove away again, this _Sherry _following suit.

Yusei shook his head, still smiling, as he grabbed Akiza's hand. "C'mon. Let's get some lunch, huh?"

She nodded and followed him inside - and instantly thought, 'Who in the world is being murdered?'

But it was only Carly. "NO! HOW IN THE WORLD DID I JUST FARKLE 4000 POINTS _AGAIN_?"

Jack was dying with laughter from where he sat across the coffee table in the living room. "I don't know, Carly," he managed between fits, "but you sure are good at it!"

Akiza cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I want to know..."

Yusei chuckled again, turning for the kitchen. "They're playing Farkle. Don't ask. It's just some random dice game my mom loved when she was a kid and taught us how to play. I refuse to play it anymore if she is, though. My mom has the best luck I've ever seen and won three games in a row once..."

"You'll have to teach me sometime."

"Maybe so, Love," he mused, pecking her on the cheek. "Maybe so."

* * *

><p>Author's Notes: So I know it's kind of a strange, abrupt ending, but I just wanted to show how things went back to normal again.<p>

You'll also notice my little friend the * has returned. I forgot to mention it's significance last time, so here it is: On my deviantART account (link on my profile) I have posted a picture of the mark because I feel I did a rather poor job of explaining what it looks like. If you care to go find it, it's in my gallery under both the 'Scrapbook' link and in the last folder on the left-hand side of the gallery page labled 'Misc.'

And, yes, Farkle is a real game. I absolutely love it! Except, like Yusei, I refuse to play with my mother after she won three games in a row. Lucky bugger...

Anyway, so there you are. The finally chapter. As such, I couldn't help but add a few shippings, of course. Mostly Yuaki with a little Jackly and some slight whatever-the-heck Crow/Sherry is called. (If anyone knows, by the way, please tell me; I'd really like to know^^)

Thanks to everyone who stuck with me to the end! I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it! Hey, why don't you review and let me know? ^^


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